ROCKY RIVER --
Lutheran West won a thriller on Tuesday, completing the two-game season sweep over Brooklyn with a 1-0 victory in front of the home crowd. After suffering through completely miserable conditions for the past week, the Lutheran West faithful were treated to a well-played game and beautiful weather as they watched the Longhorns pull out a slim victory over the visiting rivals from Brooklyn.

The game boiled down to which team could get a runner home from third. Five times in the game—and in all three of the last three frames—top and bottom of the sixth, and the top of the seventh—the offense got a runner to third. Brooklyn failed to get their runner in all three times that they had a chance. LW failed in the third, but succeeded in the bottom of the sixth, scoring the only run of the game.

Freshman Owen Albers started the sixth with a perfect bunt single down the third baseline and promptly stole second on the first pitch to senior Nick Gambetta. Gambetta pushed him to third with a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout for the second out, freshman Rory Zakareckis hit a groundball into the hole at short and beat it out for a seeing-eye single to shortstop as Albers scampered home with the game’s only run.

Brooklyn had a chance to tie the game in the seventh. After a leadoff walk, a stolen base, and a sacrifice bunt, the Hurricanes were in the exact place that the Longhorns were the half-inning before—a runner on third and one out. Sophomore Alex Robinson, who had pitched the entire game, struck out the final two batters of the game to seal his one-hit shutout and give LW the win. Robinson was sensational in the outing, striking out ten while walking six. The only hit he gave up was to the second hitter of the game.

Brooklyn almost scored in the second inning, when, with two outs and a runner on first, Brooklyn second baseman Justin Rivas hit a fly ball to right center. Junior Tommy Walker coasted over to catch the fly and end the inning only to have the ball pop out of his mitt. Brooklyn’s runner on first, David Oldag, tried to score all the way from first, but senior Matt Valletto’s perfect relay throw to senior catcher Sam Jakabcic beat him to the plate by four steps.